Wishing can be Deadly
by JC-zala
Summary: Be careful what you wish for because it might hit you hard. It's Kira and Cagalli's birthday and the twins decided to spend time with their loved ones before the big party. While on their date, Kira and Cagalli thought about their wishes.
1. Phase 01: Cagalli's Day

JC: This is a birthday fic for my favorite siblings in the anime, Kira and Cagalli. I was having trouble coming up with ideas on how to write the b-day fic. I finally came up with one when I watched some of the first episodes of Gundam SEED Destiny. This has a little Shinn/Cagalli/Athrun and Kira/Lacus.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from GSD.

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**Wishing can be Deadly **

Phase 01: Cagalli's Day

I walked through the ORB Central park while licking my chocolate ice cream topped with sprinkles and marshmallows. It was always good to eat ice cream on a hot summer day, especially in May. In addition to that, my wardrobe was just right for the weather, which was a green tank top, white short pants, and a pair of white sneakers perfect for walking and jogging. I never did give much thought to wardrobe. I just wear them as I feel like it.

I sat down on a bench near the entrance to the park. I finished up all of my ice cream up to the cone. I turned my head from left to right to look for any sign of him. No luck. It seemed like he wasn't even in the park yet. He told me that he'll be there at 9:00 AM sharp, but it was already 9:30 AM. I don't know what was taking him so long. He never arrives late for a date before. I guess there was a first for everything. I looked around again and sighed. His lateness was pissing me off. I wasn't the type of girl to sit around and wait.

Grumbling, I stood up. "I'm going home!" I was going to until a familiar guy came to my sight. He was not the guy I expected to see in ORB. I didn't think he would return to ORB at all. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was not just imagining him. I focused on him one more time and gasped. It was really him. It was Shinn Asuka, a member of FAITH and the ZAFT elite pilot of the Destiny Gundam.

Curiosity was getting the best of me. I really wanted to know why Shinn came back to ORB. Was it to visit someone? Was it to remember his family again? My mind was boggling with questions. Even so, I wasn't planning on asking him, let alone approach him. Knowing Shinn Asuka, he may just ignore me or pick a fight with me. He hated me and that was a fact.

I reluctantly turned around. "I wish I could talk to you…" I muttered softly. I took a few steps forward before I slightly turned my head to look at him. He was there, standing by a hotdog stand, ordering a hotdog to eat. His face seemed solemn. I guessed that he was not happy being in ORB at all. "I wish you could stop hating ORB and I wish you and I could be friends."

I sighed deeply. "What am I saying?" I giggled a bit. "There's no way for that to happen."

I was going to leave the park when I suddenly got attacked by a mob of fans. They were pretty excited to see me, Cagalli Yula Athha, the Head Representative and Princess of ORB. A lot of them kept calling me princess and I totally loathed that word. I hated being called a princess more than anything. But I cannot possibly tell them that. They were too busy admiring me up close and it was starting to get scary for my part.

"You're so pretty!" a 15-year old teenager said. Her eyes were sparkling with admiration.

Another girl came up and held my hand. She was pretty cute with her braided ponytail and calm eyes. "Are you all alone, Cagalli-sama? Isn't it dangerous for you to be alone in the city? I mean, you're a princess, right?" She looked concerned.

I was a bit touched. I have known for a long time that the people of ORB cared for me. They have believed in the ideals of my father, Uzumi Nara Athha and now they trusted me. As their leader, I have sworn to protect the country's ideals at all cost. Just by looking at the people makes me want to work harder.

"Yes, I'm alone but I'm not worried." I put a smile for the cute girl.

The boys were rushing into the crowd, holding out their autograph books. "Cagalli-sama, please sign! I want your autograph!" they said.

It was quite funny to watch them squirm for my sign. I bet Lacus, the pink-haired pop idol of PLANT, was getting this kind of attention all the time. I started signing them one by one. But it seemed to be endless as more people came to see me and get my autograph. It was tiring work. I wished someone would take me away from them somehow.

At that point, I didn't think my wish would come true. That someone did come and it was none other than Shinn Asuka. It was so unexpected of him. He popped out from behind me and hauled me away from the crowd. As the people came after us, Shinn made a run for it, pulling me along with him. It didn't take long until we lost the crowd. He brought me to an alley.

"Thanks, Shinn…" I said to him, hoping he wouldn't ignore me or anything.

"You're such an idiot," he retorted, giving me a stern look. He had always looked at me that way and I kind of got used to it. "Giving autographs like your some star? You've got to be kidding? What do they see in you anyway? You're no singer or an actor. You're just a good-for-nothing politician!"

And his insults weren't affecting me either. Normally, I would be enraged and start arguing with him, but I felt differently. I just smiled at him.

"I don't know why those people worship you like a goddess." He shrugged. He placed his hands in his pockets and leaned against a wall.

"From the way you're talking, I'm pretty sure that you still hate my guts." I spoke in a mild-manner way. I knew it was out-of-character. But if I lose my temper with him, he will lose his too. Two hotheads will never resolve anything.

"Got that right, Athha!"

"I don't get it. The war is over. There's finally peace."

"That's just it. The war is over and I didn't get to kill you." He shot me a death glare with those blood-red eyes. Those were the same eyes when I first saw him. Indeed, it was still scary.

I pretended that I didn't mind his eyes and continued. "Your hatred for me is still in your heart, huh?" I motioned myself right next to him and leaned against the wall. Surprisingly, he didn't move to avoid me. "Shinn, if you want to kill me then why don't you just do it right now?" I was serious when I told him that.

Shinn got surprised. "What the hell are you saying?" He backed away and stared hard at me. "Are you trying to say that you don't care if I kill you?"

I simply nodded my head. "If killing me will make you happy, then go ahead and kill me, Shinn." I pushed myself away from the wall and faced him with a smile. "But before you kill me, I want you to make a promise."

He was beginning to sweat. His hands were trembling. It seemed that he still could not believe what I was saying.

I approached him without hesitation. I extended my hand forward, reaching out for Shinn's jacket. I found his gun, took it out, and placed it on his palm. As a soldier, I found it fairly obvious for someone like Shinn to carry a gun always. I took 8 steps backward so he could get a better range of fire. I spread out my arms and told him I was ready.

"You!" His eyes grew wide. "Why are you doing this?" He positioned the gun to be ready for fire. However, his hands were trembling in fear. He was hesitating to kill me.

"Let's just say that I'm crazy." I knew that joking wasn't the time for that but I couldn't help it. "Before anything else, Shinn, can you grant me my one last wish?"

"And what would that be?"

It may sound ridiculous to him, but I still told him. "After killing me, please stop hating ORB, okay? Even though this is the place where you lost your family, this is still your homeland. Your family loved ORB and I'm sure you used to love it too."

His aggressive red eyes suddenly turned soft. "Athha…"

"Please Shinn… I have always wished that since the day I met you."

"I-I… I didn't know…"

I guessed it was time for my end. I was done saying the things I wanted him to hear. I was glad that I was finally able to talk to him. "What are you waiting for? I know you wanna pull the trigger."

But he couldn't. Because of what I said, Shinn realized the error of his ways. His hatred was nothing more than a poison that took over him. His anger and rage have only led to more battles. It took him so long to find out. He felt so pathetic. He dropped to his knees and shoved the gun aside. He planted his hands on the ground and trembled. "I'm sorry… I just can't do it. I can't kill you!"

"Shinn…" I knelt down to his level. I wrapped my arms around him and took him in my embrace to comfort him. I was glad that he didn't go through with it. Yes, I was ready to die just for him. But I was also afraid to leave the world. I thought of what would happen to Kira, Athrun, and my country if I die. It would be such a mess. I didn't think of it a while ago. "Shinn, it's all right now."

"I'm so sorry, Athha! I'm so sorry!" He kept repeating.

Frankly, it was the first time he apologized to me. There was definitely a first for everything—even for Shinn. "So, tell me something, you still hate ORB?" I asked him.

Shinn looked up at me and then he showed me his smile. I never knew how cute he looked with a smile. "No, I don't hate it. In fact, I never did. I realized that after the war. The reason why I was so angry was because I was disappointed in ORB. I was disappointed because of the tragedy that happened to my family. I mistook it for hatred."

"Your emotions really got the best of you!" I rubbed his head and laughed at him.

"Hey, stop that!" He grabbed my wrist to stop me. For a moment, he gazed into my amber orbs and his face turned a little red. That was something I don't see everyday. "Athha… I-I… um…" He lowered his head to avoid eye contact with me.

"Something wrong, Shinn?" I was starting to get the feeling that he was acting shy. Shinn Asuka, shy? That was so wrong.

"I actually don't hate you," he said, stuttering, as his face turned redder. He quickly stood and spun on his heels. "I have always liked you…"

Was I hearing right? Was that really Shinn talking to me? It was too good to be real.

"Athha, I have always been…" He hesitated for a moment before he said, "a fan of yours."

This has got to be a dream. There was no way the real Shinn Asuka would say something like that to me. Maybe he was a clone or something? I went up to him and touched his forehead to see whether he was sick or not. Much to my disbelief, his temperature was fine and he did not seem to be turning crazy. "Are you trying to pull my leg here, Shinn?"

"Whatever…" With that, he brushed me aside and ran off in a fast speed.

I planted a fist on my hip and a hand on my chin. I didn't think Shinn had a soft side and I didn't expect him to say that he has always liked me! It was too much to handle. I actually blushed at what he said. It was a good thing Athrun wasn't around. Speaking of Athrun, I had almost forgotten about our date.

I charged back to the park and saw him there. He was sitting on the bench where I sat earlier before I encountered Shinn. "Athrun!" I called my fiance's name.

When Athrun saw me, he immediately showed me a serious expression. "Where were you, Cagalli? It's already 10:15."

"You should talk. I was here at 9:00 sharp. I got tired of waiting so I walked around outside for a bit." I answered him, looking irritable. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and glared straight at Athrun. "What took you?"

Athrun let out a small laughter. "I can't fool you. I didn't think you would be earlier than me." He sighed as he stood. "You see, I went to the store to buy these." He pulled two items from beneath the bench and showed them to me. The items were a bouquet of beautiful red roses and a box of exquisite chocolates.

"Wow… This is a surprise…" I said, trying not to get too excited. "Thank you, Athrun."

Before giving me the gifts, Athrun leaned forward and planted one short kiss on my lips. It may be short but it was sure sweet. Afterwards, he handed me the bouquet. I smelled the sweet aroma of the roses as I admired the beauty of it. The flowers were truly wonderful gifts for me.

"That's not all you're getting from me." His gaze securely locked on me. "It is your birthday after all."

I practically jumped in his face, feeling so excited. "Really?"

"Yes…"

Athrun brought me to my favorite dessert café where they sell the most delicious cakes in ORB. It makes my mouth water whenever I think of those cakes. The baker sure knew his stuff. I was thrilled when I stepped into the café. As I smelled the sweet aroma of the cake, I quickly pushed Athrun towards the table and made him sit down. I then took my seat and grabbed the menu. Gosh, there were so many to choose from. I couldn't decide which one to order. I love chocolate cakes but I also love the strawberry short cakes. I decided to let Athrun choose for me.

"What do you think, Athrun? Should I get the chocolate or the strawberry?"

He glanced through his own menu before he looked up at me. "I have to say the chocolate. I would like to try it as well."

"Then chocolate it is." I was glad he picked my favorite flavor of all time. Chocolate was the greatest. I guessed strawberry had to wait. I raised my hand and called the waiter's attention. When he went to our table and saw me, he instantly gasped in surprise and froze like a statue. "Umm…Hello? Are you okay?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"L-lady…" The waiter was stuttering. Shakily, he brought out his pen and paper. "What… Wh-at is your order, Lady C-Cagalli?" He gulped.

It seemed like he was star-struck or something. Was it his first time to see me in person or what? Well, I didn't go out much since I was always busy with work. Even when I was a little girl, my father never let me out since he feared for my safety. Going back to the waiter, I noticed that he was blushing. I pretended that I didn't see that and placed my order. I was also thinking about the cake at this point.

Athrun also placed his order. After that, the waiter went back to the counter. I wished that our order wouldn't take very long. I was too excited to eat cake. Speaking of cake, I was sure that my birthday party would have one. I couldn't wait for it.

Just then, two familiar figures entered the café, which caught mine's and Athrun's attention. Those two were Kira, my twin brother, and Lacus, my future sister-in-law. "Kira, Lacus!" I called them while waving a hand in the air.

Kira and Lacus turned their heads toward me. They both smiled at me and walked towards our table. "Why, hello Athrun! Hello Cagalli!" Lacus greeted cheerfully. "And Happy Birthday!" she told me.

"Thanks," I replied.

She sat down beside me as Kira sat down beside Athrun. Lacus leaned forward to whisper something to my ear. "Did Athrun give you his gift already?" she asked softly.

"Gift? Well, he gave me a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates."

"Is that all?" She seemed disappointed with her low tone of voice.

"Why? Is something up?"

"He told me not to tell you this, but I just want you to know that he's planning to give you something special. Maybe he'll give it tonight."

Something special, huh? Whenever it comes to surprises and gifts, Athrun was number 1. After knowing so much about him, I have realized that Athrun always likes to give memorable things to the ones he cared. From what Lacus just told me, I grew curious. I looked at Athrun who was currently in a conversion with my brother. I looked at him as I tried to think of what gift he could give me. I wished I could read his mind somehow.

After an hour of eating cakes and talking, Athrun, Kira, Lacus and I were all set to go to the mall for some shopping. Well, only Lacus wanted to shop and Kira had to escort her around. As for Athrun and me, we only wanted to spend time with each other. Kira went to the men's room to wash up since I accidently got chocolate on his hands. It was the proof that I enjoyed my chocolate cake so much. When he went out, his eyes spotted Shinn standing in front of the café. His hand was against the glass window and his eyes were staring at me.

Kira wondered what Shinn was doing in ORB. He went out and approached the young coordinator. And they started talking…

Of course, when Kira was done talking to Shinn, he came to me and said that he talked to Shinn a while ago. I was kinda surprised to hear that. I didn't think Shinn would still stick around in the city after his encounter with me. I questioned Kira if Shinn had said anything about me.

And he answered, "Nope… He was quiet for some reason."

I knew very well what his reason was.

Lacus was getting excited and she asked Kira if they could go. Kira couldn't resist Lacus even for one minute, so he immediately said yes.

When we got to the mall, Lacus hurriedly hauled Kira over to the Jewelry store. Lacus was a real shopper and I kinda felt sorry for Kira. He was going to be very tired till the end of the day. Well, I didn't want to go with the pink-princess's shopping spree, so Athrun and I decided to go to the arcade. I have always enjoyed it there.

The gaming began. I have always been fond of games and I have always ruled. Athrun may be a better mobile suit pilot and fighter, but I was the better gamer. I have beaten him easily in fighting games, racing games, and even whacking the weasel game. I thought he was just going easy, but he wasn't actually. I tried searching for a game that would fit Athrun and came across the game with guns and rifles. Of course, Athrun had great accuracy. Shooting games would be a synch for him. I told him to try it and he gladly agreed.

"I know you're good with guns, but I'm not planning to lose to you." I told him with confidence. I picked up the gun and swiped my game card into the slot. I was player 1 and my screen flashed 'READY.'

"I'll try my best," Athrun said. He swiped his card and his screen flashed 'READY' in an instant.

The game was loading. Athrun and I were getting pumped up. We positioned our guns as if we were in actual practice sessions with real guns. It was like our soldier instinct came in. When the game was loaded, the enemies charged in to attack us. I easily took out 5 while Athrun took out 10 right away. Man, he was so good. However, I wasn't planning on letting him have the glory.

In the end, the game ended up in a tie, which I considered miraculous. It was my first time to see two players in a shooting game with a tie score. "I almost got killed there. One more mistake there then I could've lost to you," I said, sighing in relief.

Athrun placed a hand on my shoulder. "To tell you the truth, I thought that I was going to lose." He tucked my hair behind my ear and looked at me with those emerald orbs. "But I managed to keep up with you."

I smirked and pointed a finger at him. "Next time, I'll win!" I said confidently.

He laughed a little and shook his head. "I would like to see you try."

I was going to challenge him again but I suddenly saw Shinn playing a fighting game. I thought it would be the perfect chance to invite him to my birthday party. I was pretty sure that he didn't have much to do in ORB anyway. He did say that he was visiting, or was it just me? Oh well, I still had to try.

"Athrun, I'm going to counter to change my tickets to prizes. I got a bunch of them." I showed my tickets to Athrun. "Why don't you go outside and wait for me there?"

"All right," he replied without any questions.

When Athrun was out of sight, I silently crept my way towards Shinn. I lifted my hands up high and slapped them on Shinn's back as hard as I could. Shinn coughed so hard because of the impact I gave him and that made him lose the game he was playing. Shinn growled in disbelief as he saw his character out of the ring.

"I was almost at the boss level! Darn it!" He turned his head at me and stared at me with those fuming red eyes. "You're gonna—" He stopped his jabbering when he realized who I was.

"Hi Shinn!" I greeted.

"Athha?!" He almost fell from his seat as he backed away from me. "What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the park or something?"

"I should ask you the same thing, Shinn," I told him. I took a chair and sat down beside him. "So, are you having fun in this arcade?"

He turned his back at me and crossed his arm. "Are you kidding me? I'm actually having a boring time here."

I didn't believe him for one second. I'm sure he was having fun since I saw a smile a while ago. I poked his head in a funny way to make his look at me.

Naturally, Shinn got annoyed with the poking and turned around. "What is it?" he grumbled.

"Why don't you and I have a match?" I said, holding my fist up. If he was feeling bored, then I could enlighten him. Besides, it was a good chance for me to bond with him. "Are you up to it, Shinn?"

Shinn shrugged. "All right, let's do it." He stretched his neck and arms. "I have nothing better to do anyway. What game are we gonna play?"

I only have one game in my mind that we'll surely enjoy. "Ever played Tekken 5 DR before?"

"Tekken?" he muttered, showing a smirk. "It just happens to be my favorite game."

"Then let's fight."

During our arcade fight, Athrun was beginning to wonder what was taking me so long. He decided to go back in to check up on me. When he spotted me playing with Shinn, he got surprised.

The fight was getting intense. There were only 10 life points left in both of our characters. I was using Asuka Kazama and Shinn was using Jin Kazama. I had to admit that Shinn had put up a good challenge. Nobody has ever gotten me so pumped up before. I congratulated Shinn for that. "But I think it's time to end this, Shinn." I side-stepped and launched an uppercut.

"What the—?" Shinn gasped. He didn't anticipate my move at that time.

Asuka hit Jin hard and reduced his life points into zero. The match was over and I have won! "Yeah! I won! I've beaten you!"

"Hmph. Lucky break…" he mumbled, folding his arms.

"What do you mean by lucky break?" I uttered, grabbing his collar. I lunged myself forward until my face was just centimeters away from his. "I won with my skill and you know it. You're just a sore loser."

"Who are you calling a sore loser?!" Shinn shouted, narrowing his gaze at me. "I'm no loser, Athha!"

I pushed him away and eyed him in a malevolent manner. "Oh really?

"Well… Yeah…"

At this time, Athrun faked a cough to catch both of our attention. He looked at me suspiciously. "I thought you were going to change your tickets to prizes," he said.

I simply blushed and scratched the back of my head. Because of Shinn, I have completely forgotten about Athrun. How stupid of me! "Sorry about that, Athrun. I just wanted to beat the pants off this guy." I nimbly pointed at the red-eyed coordinator.

Shinn rolled his eyes away from me. "Whatever…" He pretended to yawn, feeling bored again. He placed his hands behind his head and started walking off. "I'm going. I'll try to find something to do in this mall."

Before I knew it, he ran off and disappeared into the crowd. He was fast—even for my eyes. I realized then that I wasn't able to invite him. I knocked myself in the head for forgetting. "I ruined my perfect chance!" I sighed in frustration.

"So, you wanted to invite Shinn to your birthday? That's why you wanted to talk to him alone." Athrun placed his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Cagalli, you'll get your chance." He assured me with his well-toothed smile.

I nodded my head. "Okay… I hope so."

We spent the rest of the day window shopping and eating some snacks. As the clock stroke 5:00, I emailed Kira via mobile phone to inform him that it was time to return to the mansion. Our birthday party was going to start at exactly 7:00 PM. We have to be prepared before that time.

Athrun and I left through the exit. We decided to wait for them outside since the chill from the air conditioner was killing me. I wasn't big on cold that much. I checked my time and it was already 5:10 PM. Ten minutes had already passed. Kira and Lacus were sure taking their time.

All of a sudden, my phone rang in the melodious tune of my favorite song, Akatsuki no Kuruma. I pressed a button on my phone and placed it beside my ear. "Hello?"

"Cagalli, its Kira."

"Kira, do you know what time it is?!" I practically shouted at my phone. "We have to go. Tell Lacus to stop the shopping."

"I know," he replied and let out a big sigh. "It's just that Lacus has bought so many things. I can't carry all of them."

"WHAT??" I slapped myself on my forehead. "Let me guess… You need help, right?" I grumbled.

"Umm…yeah…"

"Ok fine!" I told him. "I'll send Athrun over. Where are you anyway?"

"Second Floor near the escalator."

I hung up and put away my mobile phone. I turned to Athrun with an irritated expression. "Athrun, help Kira out will ya? Lacus bought too much this time. They're waiting on the 2nd floor near the escalator."

"Lacus sometimes can't control herself when it comes to shopping," Athrun said with a giggle. He spun on his heels and ran off into the mall to help out my brother and my future sister-in-law.

I didn't want to go back inside. The temperature inside was a bit cold for my taste. Besides, it was already getting colder outside anyway. Since the mall was facing the sea, I could see the sunset beyond the horizon. It was extremely beautiful. I wished Athrun would come back soon so he could enjoy the view with me. The sunset was awe-inspiring—even for a hot tempered girl like me.

Suddenly, someone touched my shoulder. I thought it was Athrun so I quickly turned around to give him a hug. The hug was merely to surprise him. "You sure took your time." With my arms wrapped around him, I squeezed him hard as I giggled in enjoyment. However, I felt like there was something wrong with him. It seemed that he just froze in silence. I pulled myself away to gaze upon his face. "Athrun, are you—" I stopped when I saw that it wasn't Athrun at all. It was Shinn!

"H-hey t-t-there…" Shinn stuttered, putting up a feint smile.

"S-shinn?" My eyes were wider than ever. "How…? When…? What…?"

"Ah…Athha, are you okay?" He placed both of his hands on my shoulder and shook me a little.

That snapped me back to reality, making me punch him hard on the face. "Shinn!" I shouted out his name as I pointed a finger at him. "Why are you here?! Why were you hugging me?!" I demanded for an explanation from him.

"That hurt," Shinn mumbled as he soothed his sore face. He shot me a death glare and balled his right hand into a fist. "Just hold on a minute! I should be the one asking you!"

"And why is that?"

"You're the one who hugged me first!" He planted a foot forward, brought his face close to mine, and stared straight into my eyes. "In addition to that, you also punched me! What did you do that for?!" he blurted right on my face.

I sure got him mad. I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. I kinda overreacted when I realized that he wasn't Athrun. I felt so embarrassed. I willingly bowed my head and apologized to the coordinator.

Shinn let out a sigh and backed away from me. "Gee, for a girl, you sure are violent. Maybe Kira was right when he told me that I shouldn't mess with you."

"Violent? I'm not that vio— Wait, Kira told you what?"

"Oops…" He clamped his mouth to keep quiet. "Forget what I said to you, Athha!" He lowered his head and made a run for it across the street.

He was running away from me again. How was I ever going to be friends with him if I couldn't even talk to him for 5 minutes? Shinn was like an impossible situation for me. Abruptly, I remembered about the party. Since Shinn was still in my sight, I could still invite him. It was my perfect chance.

"Shinn, wait up!" I shouted to grab his attention. I ran through the street to catch up with him, not noticing that there was a car heading towards me. Judging from the speed, it was surely going to hit me. As the car closed in, I shut my eyes closed and uttered Shinn's name.

The sounds of a sliding car went through my ears. I was certain that the car got me. I was like a sitting duck back there. But why wasn't I feeling any pain? It was weird. With my eyes still closed, I listened in to my surroundings once more. It was then I heard a heartbeat and it was pounding quite fast. I also felt somebody's breath heating up my face. Slowly, I opened my eyes and the first thing that came to view was his ruby colored eyes.

"Shinn…" I muttered as I sat up. "Did you just save me?"

His cheeks turned light red as he shifted his eyes away from me. "Yeah, I did. So what? You have problems with that?"

Gee, was he always like this? His attitude problem really needed a makeover. But that was the least of my concern. "Shinn, thanks for saving me. I owe you one."

Shinn stayed silent. He stood up, lowering his face to hide his blush, as he gritted his teeth. It seemed like he wanted to tell me something, but he was hesitant. He turned around and ran off once again.

"What's with him?" I questioned, poking my own face with my finger. I have this desire to know more about him, but Shinn doesn't give me a chance. He was tough to handle. Speaking of the feisty one, I suddenly remembered something important. "Oh no! I forgot to invite him again!"

_To be continued…_

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JC: That's the end of the first part of the birthday fic. Part 1 was told by Cagalli. In the next part, it's Kira's turn to tell his day. Please don't forget to leave a review. I don't want flames, so better forget it!


	2. Phase 02: Kira's Day

JC: Happy birthday Kira and Cagalli! I really enjoyed the last chapter. Shinn and Cagalli look good together. They share very common traits and they could be couples if Destiny wants them. But please be reminded that I'm still a die-hard fan of the AsuCaga pairing. Okay, let's get on with the program. This part is based on Kira's point of view. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kira, Cagalli, or any of the GSD characters.

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**Wishing can be Deadly **

Phase 02: Kira's Day

It was 9:00 AM. It was time for me and my fiancée, Lacus, to spend some time together in the city. We hardly have any time for each other these days, so I'm really glad that I finally have the chance to be with her all day. I was in my car, waiting for the pink-princess to come out. I checked up on myself in the side-mirror to see if I looked okay. My hair was neat and my face was fine. I normally don't pay attention to my looks and style. But I had to look good for Lacus to impress her.

As I heard the door creaked open, I turned my head towards the door and saw her coming out. She was so beautiful. Her white spaghetti-stripes blouse with Cherry Blossoms designs was simple yet cute. Her light-pink mini-skirt made her look so sexier. Not only that, he adorable flip-flops with Cherry-blossoms design matched well with her blouse. Lacus was perfectly dressed for a summer date.

She descended the stairs, opened the car door, and hopped in. "Happy Birthday, Kira, and I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She gave me an angelic smile, one that I always adored.

I shook my head. "No, it's no big, Lacus. By the way, you look stunning in that outfit."

Her smile became wider. "You really like it?" She clasped her hands together. "I'm so glad. I had a hard time picking the right clothes for our date, Kira."

I started the vehicle. "So, you ready to go?" I asked her.

She placed her two fists near her mouth region and nodded her head. She definitely looked adorable when she posed like that.

"Here we go…" I stepped on the clutch, shifted to gear 1, and slowly took off. When we were out on the road, I put the pedal to the medal and dashed off in a fast speed. Our first stop was the park. I had suggested buying ice cream from the park because they tasted so yummy, especially under the shades of the trees. Of course, Lacus agreed with me. She thought it would be nice to sit and watch children play in the playground. That was typical of her. Lacus had always enjoyed children. Speaking of children, I wondered if Lacus wants to be a mother. She would be perfect for the role. I could imagine her taking care of babies with ease. "Um… Lacus..."

"Yes, Kira?"

"If we ever marry and start a family, what do you want for a child?" I knew I shouldn't be asking her that. Lacus and I were still young and we had so many promises. But I just wanted to know what kind of response she would make.

"Hmm…a child, huh?" She put her finger against her cheek and began thinking about what I said. "A son and daughter, you mean?"

"That's right," I replied, feeling nervous. I was getting the feeling she won't answer my question at all. I was getting the feeling that she would only tell me if we were already married or something. I knew I could be wrong. I was thinking of the possibilities. But I was wrong.

"I want to have a son," she replied, closing her eyes, as she placed a hand on her heart. "I want a son that will look exactly like you, Kira." She looked up at the sky, feeling so inspired, as she inhaled deeply. She let her breath out slowly and turned to look at me. "Kira, how about you? Do you want a son or a daughter instead?"

"Hmmm…" It was a tough choice. A little girl that would look like Lacus would be something. But a son doesn't sound bad either. "I don't know. Maybe I'll just have to wait and find out." That was my answer.

When we reached our destination, I parked the car near the entrance to the park. I switched the engine off, took out the keys, and got out of the car. I then walked to the other side of the car to open the door for Lacus.

Lacus giggled as she stepped out of the car. "My, that is so sweet of you, Kira."

"It's nothing. Now come on," I replied, holding out my hand for her.

She held my hand and drew herself closer to me. Together, we walked into the park and saw many children playing at the playground and eating ice creams. The ice creams seemed so tasty and I wanted to have one. "I'm gonna buy ice cream," I told Lacus. "What flavor do you want?"

"Strawberry!" she lively answered.

"Okay. Just wait for me by the fountain." I pointed at the beautiful water fountain located at the center of the park.

"Please hurry with the ice cream, Kira," she muttered, waving her hand slightly.

"Sure!" I spun on my heels and hurriedly ran towards the ice cream stand. There were a lot of children in line waiting to buy their ice cream. The Ice Cream Man was having a fun time serving his customers. I had no choice but to wait for the children to be done. "Oh well…" I looked around the park to kill some time. Unexpectedly, I saw a group of people rushing over a certain spot. Based on my perception, they looked like fans crowding over a person.

"You're so pretty!" a voice obviously belonging to a young girl shouted out.

I was right. They were fans and the person they were surrounding was a star. "I wonder who that celebrity could be. Nami Tamaki? Yuuka Nanri?" I mumbled, thinking all the possible celebrities there was.

"Umm… Sir, what is your order?" The Ice Cream called my attention.

I turned my head at him and saw that all of the children were gone. I guessed that they were all done buying. Now that it was my turn, I could finally get some ice cream. "One chocolate scoop and one strawberry scoop please," I said.

"Right away, Kira-sama," the man replied, uttering my name with respect.

I was a bit shocked that he recognized me. "You know me?" I pointed a finger at myself.

The man nodded as he pulled out his scooper. "Of course I know you, Kira-sama. You're Cagalli-sama's twin brother, right? You're getting to be a famous figure around these parts nowadays." He scooped out the chocolate flavored ice cream and put it in a cone.

"I didn't notice." How could I notice that in the first place? I was always busy with my work and helping my sister run a country.

"I saw you on television for more than several times now," the man continued, scooping out the strawberry flavored ice cream this time. "You give speeches along with your sister. I must say that you and Cagalli-sama are great leaders." He put the ice cream on the cone.

"I wouldn't say that." I scratched the back of my head, feeling a bit awkward about what he just said. "Cagalli is the only great one. I'm just there to help her out," I explained.

"From the way you're talking, I'm pretty sure that you care for your sister so much." He handed the two cones to me.

As I received the ice creams, I thought about Cagalli. For the past months, it had been nothing but work, work, and work for the both of us. But, in between our busy schedule, we managed to find time for ourselves. We shared so many experiences together and we enjoyed being with each other all the time. Though we were separated from birth, it felt like that she had always been there for me. Cagalli wasn't only my sister; she was also my pride and joy.

I went back to Lacus and gave her the strawberry ice cream. She thanked me with her smile and started licking her treat. I also began licking mine as well, and it was so delicious. Nothing beats eating ice cream on a hot summer day.

"You sure took your time, Kira. Was there a lot of customers?" Lacus asked me, and I simply nodded my head. I wanted to tell her that I had a conversation with the Ice Cream Man, but I just left it. There was no need for that.

After eating the ice creams, Lacus and I took a walk around the park. Walking leisurely around a beautiful and pleasurable place was something Lacus liked to do very much. The park may seem boring to some people, but for Lacus, the park was somewhere she could relax. It was also the place where she would want to spend time with me. As for me, any place was fine, as long as Lacus was there.

When the clock's time was 09:45, I figured to bring Lacus to a dessert café. I knew one café that sells the best cakes in ORB. We went back the car and saw a little girl crying beside it. Curious, we approached the girl slowly and knelt to match her level. The little girl was very cute with her shimmering ocean-blue eyes and short blonde hair.

"My, what are you doing here all by yourself and why are you crying?" Lacus asked, placing her gentle hand on the girl's head.

The girl kept crying and she wouldn't calm down. I felt so sorry for the girl. "Are you lost?" I questioned her. I took her petite hand into mine and wiped some tears away with my thumb. "Please stop crying, little one. It won't do you any good. You have to be strong."

Lacus stared at me in amazement. "Kira, you sound just like a father," she told me.

"I do?" I guessed taking care of the children at the orphanage made me good with kids. I turned back at the child. "Tell Onii-chan what's wrong. I can help you."

The girl had calmed down, but she was still sniveling. She looked up at me with a finger in her mouth. "I can't find papa. I'm lost…" she said, sounding like she was about to crack again.

This time Lacus hugged the child to make her feel safe. "We'll help you find your father, so don't you worry." She pulled herself away to face the child. "Okay?" She showed the little girl a kind and warm smile.

Because of Lacus' sincerity, the child was able to smile. Her worried little heart was finally at ease. There was no mistake that Lacus would make a fine mother some day. If I will become her husband, then I wished to have bright and healthy children. I don't want to have just a son or a daughter. I wished to have both.

Lacus stood up, holding the child's hand. "Kira, let us go and find this girl's father." Well, we were about to go into the park once again when a man came rushing towards us. He looked pretty exhausted. "Are you all right, sir?" she asked him, feeling concerned. She was always like that towards people—even if she doesn't know them.

The girl took a close look at the man. "AH!! PAPA!" she pointed out.

"So, this is your father?" I said.

The girl nodded excitingly as she jumped up and down with joy. "Papa is here. I'm so happy!"

The man straightened up and extended his hand to the girl. "I was looking all over for you. Never let go of my hand again, okay?" he said to his child, looking worried and relief at the same time.

Lacus placed her hand on the child's head and smiled at her. "I'm glad that father's here. You make sure you always stay by your father's side. You don't want to get lost again now, do you?"

The little girl shook her head rapidly. She raised her arm to swear an oath. "I promise to stay close to Papa always."

"That's a good girl." Lacus rubbed her little head. "Please do take care of your child, sir." She told the man as she bowed her head politely.

"Yes, I will." The man also bowed his head. "And thank you for taking care of her." He lifted the little girl and placed her on his shoulders.

"Bye, little one! I hope we can meet again." Lacus waved her hand at the girl.

"Bye-bye, onee-chan, onii-chan!" The little girl waved her petite hand at us while smiling cheerfully. She looked as adorable as ever.

When they were gone, Lacus huddled my arms snuggly and pulled me towards my car. She suddenly pulled my keys from my pocket and hid it behind her back. I was getting a bad feeling about this. From what she was doing, I believed that she wanted to be the driver. That made me scared. As far as I'm concerned, Lacus has a reputation of having bad and somewhat reckless driving skills. It was hard to believe at first when Athrun told me that, but I managed to see her driving when a soldier was teaching her. If she were to drive my car, then it would be toast, not to mention my life would be at stake.

"Lacus, give me the keys." I extended my arm, looking a little serious. "We've gotta go now."

But Lacus refused and backed away from me. "Please let me drive, Kira. The café isn't that far from here." She made a prayer hand and begged.

I narrowed my gaze and sighed in frustration. "Lacus, I value my life. Please give me back my keys." I put a step forward, and she backed away a few steps. This was getting out of hand.

"Come on, Kira, please… I promise I won't wreck the car." She was being her bubbly self again.

I shook my head, refusing to let her drive. I had to be hard about this. Lacus has to accept the fact that her driving was far more dangerous than flying a mobile suit. I closed my eyes, leaned back against my car, and folded my arms. "I'm just going to wait here until you give me back the keys."

Just then, the car started, surprising me a lot. I opened my eyes only to see Lacus inside the car. To my horror, she was sitting in the driver's seat. I opened the door and hopped into the passenger's seat. "Lacus, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to drive us to the café," she replied happily like she always did. It seemed like my worries about her driving skills didn't affect her one bit.

"Move over, Lacus, coz I'm driving this thing." And I was serious when I said that.

However, Lacus didn't think so. She pressed down the clutch, shifted the gear, and zoomed out of the parking space. The car ran off in quite a fast speed and I was beginning to feel nauseous. We turned hard to left and overtook 3 vehicles. We almost rammed into a dog, but it managed to run away. I held onto my chair tightly and closed my eyes. I couldn't believe that a peace-loving girl like Lacus could be such a reckless driver. "I wish to get off now, please…"

She stepped on the brakes and parked the car in front of the café. "Kira, we're here. You may open your eyes now."

I opened my eyes slowly and saw the café. I quickly rushed out of the car and leaned against the glass window of the café. "I am never letting you drive again," I mumbled quietly.

"Did you say something, Kira?" She popped her head out from behind me, startling me for sure.

"Ah… Nothing…" I laughed. I held my hand out and smiled faintly. "Umm… May I have the keys now?'

"Oh sure," she replied, handing the keys to me. "Thank you for letting me drive. It was fun."

I smacked myself on the temple and let out a sigh. I clearly didn't let her drive. She drove the car without even my permission! Honestly, Lacus can be a handful sometimes, but she was fun to be with. Since we've arrived at the café in one piece, I was glad to bring Lacus in to finally eat some cake.

Inside, I searched for a good place to sit. Suddenly, I heard someone calling mine's and Lacus' name. The voice sounded very familiar. I turned to the direction of the voice and saw Athrun and Cagalli who was waving her hand at us. I didn't expect to see them there, but who cares? I was happy to see my sister and my best friend anyway.

"Why, hello Athrun! Hello Cagalli!" Lacus greeted cheerfully. "And Happy Birthday!" she told Cagalli.

"Thanks," replied Cagalli.

She sat down beside Cagalli as I sat down beside Athrun. Lacus leaned forward to whisper something to Cagalli's ear. I didn't know what it was and I wasn't about to find out. I went to counter to place my order together with Cagalli and Athrun's order. Then I went back to the table and talked with Athrun a bit.

A few minutes later, our orders came and they all looked delicious. The cakes were enough to make my mouth water. I took a bite out of my mocha cake and savored the icing in my mouth. The taste was so sweet and delightful. The baker sure knew his stuff. I wished the cake for the party tonight was as delicious as the one I was eating.

After an hour of eating cakes and talking, Athrun, Cagalli, Lacus and I were all set to go to the mall for some shopping. Well, only Lacus wanted to shop and I had to escort her around. As for Athrun and Cagalli, they only wanted to spend time with each other. I stood and went to the men's room to wash up since Cagalli accidently got chocolate on my hands. It was the proof that she enjoyed her chocolate cake so much. When I went out, I spotted Shinn standing in front of the café. His hand was against the glass window and his eyes were staring at my sister.

Shinn looked suspicious. I wondered why he was in ORB. I thought he hated the place and its ideals. Why would he come back? Was it to visit someone? But why was he staring at my sister. There was only one way to find out and that was to talk to him.

I exited through the door without anybody noticing me. I moseyed over to Shinn's side and patted his shoulder. When he turned his head to look at me, I narrowed my gaze.

His eyes jarred wide open. "K-Kira Y-Yamato?!" he uttered, taking a step backward. "What are you doing here?"

I shrugged. "I should be the one asking you that question." I leaned against the glass window, pretending to be serious, as I crossed my arms in front of me. "Can you please tell me why were you staring at my sister?

He gulped, looking hesitant. He rolled his eyes away from me and laughed out. "You must be mistaken. I wasn't staring at Athha. Why would I in the first place? Have you forgotten? I hate her!"

He was lying and I could clearly see it in his ruby eyes. "Are you, by any chance, stalking Cagalli?" I didn't know if stalking was the right word to say, but I couldn't think up of anything else.

Shinn let out a false laugh. "Stalking? You've gotta be kidding me! Who would want to stalk that Athha anyway?"

"Gee, lots of people would since she's the princess of ORB." I blurted out.

Somehow, he froze in his spot and became silent. He lowered his head and placed a hand on his temple. He seemed to be in a trouble state. It was the first time to see him like that.

"Is there something wrong, Shinn?" I asked him, hoping that he wouldn't just run off to avoid me.

He looked up at me with eyes so soft and concerned. He was ready to talk to me, to tell me his problem, and I was ready to listen to him.

He told me about what happened between him and Cagalli this morning. I found it to be shocking yet unbelievable. Cagalli was ready to give her life to satisfy Shinn. It was something that I could never do. I was relieved to know that Shinn didn't shoot Cagalli. I don't know if I could go on without her.

Shinn also said that he actually had feelings for Cagalli and his face turned red in instant after saying her name. I found it more surprising than the gun part. I never thought I would see the day of Shinn Asuka falling in love with person he hated the most. If I were writer, I could've written a book about it.

"And after that I ran off," he finished his story. "Kira-san, I really like her. I wanna be with her. But I—" He clenched his fists.

"Shinn…" Well, there was no doubt that Shinn loved my sister. I thought it was kinda endearing, but fate wasn't on his side. Why? One thing for sure, Cagalli could never love another guy. Her one and true love was Athrun, my best friend.

"Cagalli-san will never love me." He spun on his heels and started walking away. "But I wish we could be friends somehow."

Friends? That wasn't a bad idea. If Shinn wanted to be with her, then I could set him up with Cagalli. The party was a good place to start. "Wait up, Shinn!" I uttered, running towards him. I went up in front and placed my two hands on his shoulders. "Today is mine and Cagalli's birthday. We're going to have a celebration tonight at the mansion and I want you to come."

His lips immediately curved into a smile as his eyes widened. "Are you sure? I mean, seriously?"

I nodded my head. "You're invited. Be sure to be there, got that?"

"I'll be there. You can count on it!" He left right away to find a gift for Cagalli. He sure looked happy and excited.

I went back inside and sat down beside Cagalli. I told her that I talked to Shinn a while ago. She was kinda surprised to hear that. She questioned me if Shinn had said anything about her. And I answered, "Nope… He was quiet for some reason."

Lacus was getting excited and she asked me if we could go to the mall. I couldn't resist Lacus even for one minute, so I immediately said yes.

When we got to the mall, Lacus hurriedly hauled me over to the Jewelry store. Lacus was a real shopper and I kinda felt sorry for myself. I was going to be very tired trying to put up with the pink-princess's shopping spree. Well, Cagalli and Athrun didn't want to go us, so they decided to go to the arcade. Cagalli has always enjoyed it there.

Lacus and I spent our time going in and out of boutiques, gift shops, and jewelry stores, buying this and that. Lacus wouldn't normally spend her money, but she hasn't gone into a mall for 2 months now. That was the reason why she was excited to do shopping. I don't mind her shopping. But what I do mind was the things I have to carry.

We stopped by at a coffee shop to get some rest. Finally! My arms were getting tired with the things that I was carrying. Lacus had bought a ton of clothes, two new pair of shoes, 5 jewelries, and several hair clips and ribbons. It was a bit too much, I'd say, but Lacus didn't think so. She wanted to buy more and she wasn't going to stop until she would be satisfied. So, I had no choice but to put up with her. Nevertheless, being able to spend time with her was enough to satisfy me.

As I sipped my coffee, Lacus gazed at me with her crystal blue eyes. I flushed red and gulped down all my coffee in a split second. I put down my cup as I breathed out.

"Are you all right?" Lacus said, rubbing her hand on my back.

I looked at her, laughing, as I straightened up. "Yeah…"

"Kira, I was wondering…" She entwined her hands together on the table. "What is your birthday wish?"

"My birthday wish?" I repeated. Now that she mentioned it, I realized that I haven't decided what to wish yet. I have lots of wishes and many of them have already come true. I didn't know what else to wish for. "I dunno."

"That can't be. You must have a wish. It's your birthday after all."

"I haven't put much thought on it." When I was digging my pocket for my handkerchief, I accidentally pulled my wallet instead and managed to drop it on the floor. I leaned down to get it, noticing that my wallet was wide open. I picked it up and took a good look of the picture in it. It was a picture of Miriallia and Fllay backed when they were still in college. The two of them looked so cute and adorable. Miriallia was a good friend of mine. She was one awesome photographer and one of the best CIC officers I know. As for Fllay, well, she was a friend that I could never forget.

Lacus noticed how glum I looked when I was staring at the picture. She moseyed over beside me and glanced at the picture. "My, Fllay-san and Miriallia-san look so cute. This is from their college days, am I right?"

"Sorry…" I tried to hide my wallet right away, but Lacus took my wallet away and looked at picture.

"Kira, do you still love Fllay-san until now?" she asked me.

I didn't know if she was sad or hurt from the way she asked me. It was hard to tell since her expression remained unchanged. Lacus was always good in hiding her true emotions.

"Well, Kira?"

Frankly, I didn't know what or how to answer her. I might be ending up hurting her with my answer. But my heart was telling me to express my feelings. I held her hand, locking my amethyst eyes on her. I was ready to say it. I hoped everything will be all right after my answer. "Lacus, to tell you the truth, I still love Fllay…"

"I see…"

I lowered my head, averting my eyes away from hers. I gently squeezed her hand and trembled. "A part of me still loves her and a part of me loves you. I'm sorry, Lacus."

"Kira, please look at me," she said.

I didn't want to. She might be crying and I didn't know if I could bear it.

"Kira…" With her hand, she lifted my chin, but my eyes were shut close. "Open your eyes, Kira. Look at me…"

Slowly, I opened my eyes, expecting to see tears, but she wasn't even crying. Lacus was smiling. I thought she would be hurt and saddened, but she was happy.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Kira," she said, caressing my cheeks with her hand. "You know, I've always seen you staring at the picture and I've figured that you still love Fllay-san."

"You've always known? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was waiting for you to admit it." She sipped a bit of her coffee before continuing. "Fllay-san has always been special to your heart and I've accepted that."

Her face still held the same expression. She neither showed any pain or sadness. She was still smiling. I found her astonishing. Normally, girls would be enraged if they find out that their fiancé loves another girl. But Lacus was different. She understood my feelings too well. For that, I felt lucky to have a girl like her.

"Lacus, I can never forget Fllay and she'll always be in my heart. However, the one I want to spend the rest of my life is you." I pulled her closer and embraced her.

"Kira?" she squeaked as her cheeks turned slightly red. "I'm so glad to hear that."

I carefully pushed her away to gaze upon her face. "I will always love you," I muttered, tucking her hair behind her ear. "No matter what happens…"

"Me too," she replied softly.

I picked up my wallet and stared at image of Fllay. That was when I realized my wish for my birthday. I closed my wallet and put it back into my pocket. "Lacus, I know what to wish for now."

"Really? Oh please tell me…" She put on a cute face again to allure me.

And it always works. Who could resist such a face? Umm…Maybe I was the only who always fall for it. Okay, putting that aside now. "This may sound weird."

"Go on…"

"I wish Fllay was here right now."

"Kira…" Lacus' eyes grew soft. "You do know that it's an impossible wish."

"Yeah, I know…" But I wanted that to happen. I wanted to see Fllay again—even for a short while. "If she was still alive, I bet you two will become good friends." I was sure of it.

Lacus giggled. "You're right. We could've become the best of friends."

The clock stroke 4:57. It was time for us to go home since my birthday was going to start at 7:00 PM. I picked up all the things, much to my dismay, and carried them towards the escalator with Lacus following right behind me. Suddenly, my phone rang in the tone of Vestige, my favorite song. The phone distracted me from seeing the 'Caution: Wet Floor Sign,' causing me slide and fall down. All of the things I was carrying got thrown upwards and they were about to fall on me. Luckily, they were all caught by Lacus. I didn't know she was a good catcher.

"Kira, are you all right?" Lacus asked, kneeling down. She placed the items on the floor and helped me sat up.

"I'm fine. Thanks." That was clumsy of me. It was a good thing nobody else was around to see it. I took out my mobile phone and read the email sent by my sister, Cagalli. "She's telling us to go home now."

Lacus helped me stood and she also patted my pants. It was sweet of her, but I kinda felt awkward about it. I was going to pick up the items when Lacus stopped me. "What's wrong?"

"If you're going to carry all these, then you might end up slipping again."

"But I can't have you carry them. It wouldn't be right."

"Please don't worry. I can carry them just fine."

"No, I won't let you." I dialed in Cagalli's number to call her.

When she picked up the phone, she said, "Hello?"

"Cagalli, its Kira."

"Kira, do you know what time it is?!" She practically shouted at the phone. "We have to go. Tell Lacus to stop the shopping."

"I know," I replied, letting out a big sigh. "It's just that Lacus has bought so many things. I can't carry all of them."

"WHAT??" I could've sworn I heard her slapping herself on the forehead. "Let me guess… You need help, right?" she grumbled.

"Umm…yeah…"

"Ok fine!" she told me. "I'll send Athrun over. Where are you anyway?"

"Second Floor near the escalator."

I hung up and put away my mobile phone. I turned to Lacus and said, "Athrun's coming to help me."

"That's good." Lacus clung to my arm and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'm excited for your birthday, Kira. I'm sure lots of people will come."

I was excited too. I couldn't wait for the party. Cagalli and I have sent invitations to our close friends and comrades during war. We have also invited Reverend Malchio and the orphans. It was going to be a blast. But to make the party complete for Cagalli, I needed that person to come.

_To be continued…_

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JC: This chapter composed mostly of Kira and Lacus moments. I'm not a big fan of Lacus, but I don't hate her. Next chapter will be the party and guess who will be telling the story. Please leave a review and no flames. Ja ne!


	3. Phase 03: Happy Birthday

JC: This is part 3. This time I'll be the one telling the story! There will be some couple moments here. I'm sure you'll be looking forward to it. Please go on and read it.

Disclaimer: Don't try to sue me because you'll just waste your time. Plus, I'm not rich to get myself a lawyer. Hehe…

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**Wishing can be Deadly**

Phase 03: Happy Birthday

The night was young and stars were bright in ORB. The moon shone its luminous light upon the country, making the night more brilliant as ever. Since it was already 6:00 PM, the people closed their shops and stores as they felt excited to go home or go some place with their family or friends. Some of them were getting ready to spend the time of their lives at the Athha estate where the big party was going to be held. They were sure eager to see their loving prince and princess there.

Meanwhile, a certain red-eyed coordinator was still roaming through the streets of ORB. Shinn looked a bit exhausted and disappointed. He scratched his head furiously and mumbled some curses to himself. People passing by him thought he was crazy. But he didn't mind them. He had a big problem to worry about. "What am I going to give her?!" he uttered, slumping his head down. Up until now, he still didn't know what to give to the blonde princess. He had already gone to the mall, but he wasn't able to find a suitable gift. He found it pretty hard to get a gift for Cagalli.

He walked up to a store and saw some accessories inside. He wanted to go in but the sign on the door said that it was closed. He felt so unlucky. The stores were closing up early because it was Kira and Cagalli's birthday. The entire city was going to celebrate it.

"I can't show my face to her without any gift," Shinn muttered, leaning his back against the door of the shop. "What should I do? If only Athha was a bit girlish, then I would know what to give her. But she's not like other girls. From what I've heard, Athha hates dresses and all those girly charms." He sighed deeply.

He was about to give up until he heard fire crackers blowing up in the skies. He gazed at the flickering colors with amazement. While the fire crackers decorated the skies, parade music filled his ears. It sounded like it came from a few blocks away from him. Quickly, he ran to where the music was. When he reached the main street, he saw a parade coming with a band and balloons. There were also a lot of people there. "What's going on?" he asked.

One of the citizens heard his question and he gladly answered him. "This is a parade to honor Kira-sama and Cagalli-sama!" he spoke loudly so Shinn could hear him. "It's their birthday, you know!"

"A parade to honor them?" Shinn suddenly realized something. "Then their birthday party has already started and it's the parade!" He slapped himself on the temple for losing track of time. Well, there was nothing he could at the moment but to watch the parade.

The band played with good timing and rhythm. The beat was jumpy and you could never get sick of hearing it. The people just loved it. After the band, the representatives of ORB followed next, while riding in their convertibles. Each car carried two representatives. They were mostly composed of old men with high political experiences. The next one was the Archangel Crew, in which, composed of the Captain, Murrue Ramius, the Helmsman, Arnold Neumann, CIC Officer and war photographer, Miriallia Hawe, and many others. The next one was a group of High Officials in the military and they were riding in army jeeps. Afterwards, the car carrying Athrun, Lacus, Yzak and Dearka passed by and they were fairly greeted by the crowd as they recognized them as war heroes. Finally, the last but not the least, an expensive black convertible came, carrying two valuable figures of ORB. They were none other than Kira Yamato and Cagalli Yula Athha.

The people of ORB cheered their names loudly as the twins came into their view. They looked so happy to see them. From their faces, you can really see how much they respected their leaders. They started throwing confetti and flowers everywhere, as more fire crackers were sent up into the air.

Shinn was astonished. It wasn't because of the crowd's impact, but because of what he was seeing. He was staring at Cagalli and the clothes she was wearing. He had never imagined the day that he would see the blonde princess wear something so elegant. He had to admit that Cagalli definitely looked stunning in her Blue striped tube top with sash and white mini skirt. As he looked at her hair which was tied with white ribbons, he thought that her face changed. He couldn't believe that it was really Cagalli.

He was busy admiring her that he didn't notice that he was blushing. He was falling more in love with her. _"Making excuses has always been a specialty of the Athhas!" _He recalled those words he said to Cagalli in the midst of his anger. He regretted what he said to her. He wanted to apologize to her, but he ended up spewing some more insults at her. He felt so stupid. "I wish I can turn back time to make things right. I want to make it up to you."

He then decided not to give up on her. "Just wait for me, Athha…" He ran away from the parade, away from the crowd, and away from her. He was going to search for a gift and he was going to do it fast.

Kira and Cagalli were enjoying their time waving their hands at the people, thanking them for their loyal support. They felt like they were artists or stars in some kind of movie as the people shouted their names non-stop. They felt good about it. The only thing they disliked was being called a prince and a princess. Yes, they had those statuses but it was kinda awkward for them to hear.

"If the parade is already this big, then I can't wait to see the party later in the mansion," Kira said.

"Since Lacus, Miriallia, and Murrue-san took care of the preparations, I bet it's going to be grand," Cagalli muttered, thinking how suspicious the three were during the past weeks. She hoped that they didn't plan anything foolish again like last year.

After an hour and a half of parading, the celebrants and the main guests and friends arrived at the Athha Estate at exactly 9:00 PM. They all gathered in the large ballroom where the food was served in an exquisite buffet style. The guests were famished from the parade and they were delighted to stuff themselves with the delicious food. The musicians started playing classical music which was very soothing and entertaining. The maids were also doing their jobs in serving the guests.

While the guests were downstairs, Cagalli and Kira were in their own rooms preparing for the party. Lacus and two maids were helping Cagalli out with her dress. Lacus promised Kira to make Cagalli looked like a real princess for the party. So, she put her heart and effort in fixing Cagalli's hair, nails, and makeup. She practically enjoyed it too.

"Oh my!" Lacus muttered, placing a hand on her cheek. "You look so beautiful, Cagalli!" Her cheeks turned pink as she admired Cagalli.

Cagalli tried to put a smile but she had a hard time doing so. One thing for sure, she loathed dresses and she always didn't enjoy wearing one. However, she couldn't upset a friend who has worked hard for her. She looked at herself in the mirror and got quite amazed herself. "Is this me? You've really outdone yourself this time, Lacus."

"Thank you very much," replied Lacus. "I'm so glad you like it. I personally picked that dress for you, did you know that?"

She looked from head to toe and from back to front. She checked the whole dress, which was a one long azure-blue gown with a tube top, and twirled around. The dress bloomed so gracefully and the tight fit really defined her curves. "What do you think Athrun and Kira will say?" Cagalli asked her pink-haired friend.

Lacus thought about it for moment. "They were pretty amazed last year. I bet you're going to amaze them even further this time. They're not going to take their eyes off of you, especially Athrun." She giggled in a lady-like way.

Cagalli blushed, thinking about Athrun's reaction. He does make it a point to cherish every time she wore a dress, because he rarely sees her in one.

A knock came to the door, alerting the two friends in an instant. "Cagalli, Lacus, are you done? It's me, Kira." He knocked the door once again.

"Please come in, Kira," Lacus replied. "We're all done here."

As Kira entered, the maids immediately bowed their heads to show respect to him. Afterwards, they made their leave to give the three some privacy.

"The guests are waiting for us, Cagalli." Kira approached his sister, grabbed her hand, and twirled her around. "You really look like a girl now." He lightly laughed as he positioned her in his arms like in tango.

Cagalli raised an eyebrow. "The same comment again? That's really getting old, Kira." She escaped from his clutches and pulled his lip. "Come on, let's go!" she grumbled, dragging Kira, as she walked out of the room.

"Oh my…" Lacus clamped her mouth a little, trying to hold her laughter.

The lights in the ballroom went dim, signaling the guests that the celebrants were there. The musicians played their tune and the spotlights turned on, focusing the rays at the entrance where the two siblings stood proudly as the prince and princess of ORB. They were both dressed suitably and formally for the occasion. The tomboyish princess who hated dresses was actually in beautiful gown. On the other hand, Kira, the ultimate coordinator, was in a black tux. Everyone stared at them in amazement, especially Athrun and Lacus.

"Here we go," Cagalli whispered to Kira, taking hold of his hand.

Kira looked at her for a second, thinking of the life and experiences he shared with Cagalli. To think that a girl like Cagalli was actually his twin made him wonder why fate separated them from birth. He was separated from her for sixteen years and he didn't even expect to first meet her in Heliopolis. He always thought that the universe was big, but somehow he doubted that. As he turned to the guests, he presented a smile. He walked through the aisle with Cagalli, feeling like they were a couple. He giggled at the thought and continued walking until they reached the stage.

The lights turned bright, the music stopped, and the guests turned silent. All of them were waiting for the twins to give out their speech.

Kira was up first. As usual, he felt kinda nervous about it. But, he wasn't as shy as he was the last time. The first time he gave out a speech to thousands of people, he turned pale and almost fainted. Kira wasn't used to having people stare at him. But right now, Kira was doing fine with his speech.

As Kira's speech went on, Cagalli wandered her eyes all over the place in search of a red-eyed coordinator with black hair. To her dismay, he was nowhere to be found. _"I'm so stupid. I wasted all my chances to invite him. I wanted Shinn to be here." _

"And thank you for coming. I really appreciate it," Kira finished his speech, slightly bowing his head. He straightened up and told Cagalli that it was her turn.

Cagalli nodded, feeling confidently about her speech. Unlike Kira, Cagalli was used to handing a large group of people. Her training in the military and in politics molded her into a fine leader. In the history of ORB, Cagalli was the youngest and the most popular leader.

The people listened to every word she said and they found it to be interesting. Cagalli talked with sincerity and care. It was obvious that she didn't just memorize some lines on a paper. She was talking in her own words. That was always her style. She knew exactly what to say.

After the speech, the music started playing again. The center of the room was cleared up and one by one, couples from left and right began dancing. Murrue Ramius danced elegantly with her partner and fiancé, Mwu La Fllaga. Not too far from Murrue were Miriallia and Dearka. Dearka was a terrible dancer, but Miriallia didn't mind it. Truth to be known, Miriallia's graceful dancing covered up for most of Dearka's mistakes. Kira and Lacus joined in as well and both of them danced with love and passion.

Meanwhile, at the garden, Athrun and Cagalli were sitting under a tree as they admired the wonderful view of the moon and stars in the sky. The night was so peaceful and relaxing, and they really enjoyed it.

Athrun breathed in, savoring the cool breeze, and exhaled. He turned to his fiancée whom he thought as the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He leaned forward and pecked on her cheek, causing her to blush like crazy. Athrun simply laughed at her cute reaction.

"I told you to stop doing that!" Cagalli grumbled, rubbing her cheeks. She always felt embarrassed when Athrun does sweet things to her. But, deep inside, she always liked it.

He paid no heed to her words and kissed her cheek again.

This time, Cagalli steamed up and her face turned totally red. She covered her face with her hands and lowered her head. "Athrun, you idiot!"

"Cagalli, there's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It was just a kiss."

She faced him, trying to put on a tough front, with her face still red. "It always surprises me, you know!"

"You're the same as ever." In an instant, he lifted her cheek and kissed her on the lips.

Cagalli was rendered motionless as she felt Athrun's hot lips against hers. Her heart was pounding restlessly. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss more. She savored every moment of his breath as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Afterwards, they parted and stared at each other for a while. As the wind picked up, their lips met again and they were once again indulged with one another. It was like an ethereal reality for them.

Athrun broke the kiss and placed his hand on her cheek. He locked her in his emerald orbs, admiring her beauty. He pulled something out of his pocket and showed it to Cagalli. It was a small rectangular silver pocket watch with superb markings on it. The watch was also a locket and it had his and her picture. "Happy Birthday, Cagalli..."

She took the watch into her hands. She then held it close to her heart. "Oh Athrun… Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you liked it. I had a hard time finding the right picture for it."

"You always go all the trouble to give some special to me. I really appreciate it."

"Anything for you, Cagalli," he said, clutching onto her shoulders. "Please remember that I will always love you no matter what."

She nodded her head and smiled. "Me too…"

They shifted their eyes back at the stars to continue their moment of peace and quiet. Just then, a shooting star passed by and they got excited.

"Since it's your birthday, make a wish," said Athrun.

Cagalli entwined her hands with Athrun's and closed her eyes. She thought hard about what to wish for. This led her to remember her encounter with Shinn in the city. She remembered what she wished for to Shinn and that was for him to stop hating ORB. Her wish came true at that point and she was very happy. Then there was the other wish where she wanted to see Shinn on her birthday party and to be friends with him. She attempted to invite him so many times, but she failed. She sighed as she opened her eyes. She looked up at the sky and muttered her wish silently.

Feeling thirsty, Athrun went back inside to get refreshments, leaving Cagalli alone in the garden. It was a long way back to the ballroom, but Cagalli could wait since she was enjoying her time. She stood from her position and walked around the garden. She ran her hands through the leaves and flowers, thinking deeply about Shinn. She wondered if Shinn had already gone back to the PLANT. She wondered if she would ever see him again.

"Athha…" an unruly voice spoke out of the blue, giving Cagalli quite the surprise.

The voice was familiar to her that she couldn't help but smile in delight. Quickly, she spun on her heels to face the person. "Shinn!" she uttered his name.

"Um…err…Sorry I'm late…" Shinn scratched his head as he smiled awkwardly.

"My birthday's complete now that you're here!" She presented an adorable smile, making Shinn blush easily.

He scratched his head more and turned away. "Kira-san invited me. That's why I'm here."

"Kira did?" Cagalli made a note to herself to thank Kira later. "Well, it was unexpected of him."

Approaching Cagalli, he pulled out his gift from pocket. "Anyway, happy birthday, Athha!" he cheerfully greeted the blonde. He grabbed her wrist and placed the gift around it. "There you go. It's my present for you."

"This is—" She held her wrist up high to admire Shinn's gift clearly. It was a cute bracelet with small ruby and crystal stones. "A bracelet…"

"Umm…" He poked his cheek, feeling a bit awkward, as he looked down. "I made it myself. I learned to make bracelets from my little sister, Mayu."

Cagalli's eyes softened. "Shinn, thank you," she said. She reached for his cheek, lifted his face, and stared into his ruby eyes. "Thank you for the gift and for coming here."

Suddenly, Shinn had the urge to hug her. However, knowing that Cagalli was Athrun's fiancée, Shinn tried his best to hesitate. He touched her hand and removed it from his cheek. But he took the chance to caress her hand dearly in his. As he stared at her amber orbs more, the more his heart told him to hug her.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered. He pulled the blonde into a hug and held her tightly. "Athha, I-I…" Tears began flowing out his eyes, depicting his hidden emotions for the princess.

She felt his tears on her shoulder and she asked him if there was something wrong. She received no reply, and Shinn continued crying. She hugged him back to comfort him, to ease him of his pain, and to let him know that she cared for him.

"How long are you two planning to stay like that?" Kira stepped out from the shadows, revealing a pissed look at Cagalli and Shinn.

Shinn hastily backed away from Cagalli. "Sorry about that!" He bowed his head at Cagalli and then at Kira. "I guess I was getting carried away." He laughed lightly.

"You guys were too close for comfort. What if Athrun managed to see you two?"

"I can't imagine," Shinn whined.

"Kira!" Cagalli planted her fists on her hips. "Aren't you supposed to be with Lacus?"

"We've just finished dancing. Lacus is now having a nice chat with our friends."

Cagalli raised an eyebrow. "Then mind telling me why you're here?"

"I came to check up on you," he said, turning his head towards Shinn. "And to see if Shinn was around."

"According to Shinn, you were the one who invited him."

"One of your wishes was to be friends with Shinn, right? I wanted that wish to come true."

Shinn was surprised at what Kira said. He turned to Cagalli who was smiling cheerfully at him. His face turned a little red, but he didn't care about that. "You want me to be your friend?" he asked her.

"Of course," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Don't tell me you'll refuse?" She shot Shinn a death glare to intimidate him.

"Uh-no!" Shinn said, blushing like crazy. "Why would I? I mean, it would be an honor to be friends with you."

Cagalli raised an eyebrow, thinking absurdly of him. "Man, you look dumb while blushing like that."

"Say what?!" Shinn fumed, as Cagalli smirked. He breathed in deeply to control himself and looked back at Cagalli. "Here…" he grumbled, holding his hand out for her to shake.

Cagalli shrugged. "Hmph… A handshake won't do!" She slapped away his hand and crossed her arms. "It's my birthday. Why don't you take me out or something?" She sounded like a spoiled brat.

"Hold on, Cagalli. Have you forgotten our birthday party?" Kira reminded her. "You can't leave the party."

Despite that fact, Cagalli wanted to spend some time with Shinn. She pulled Kira by the ear and whispered something to him. Afterwards, she pushed him back and faced him seriously. "Okay, you got that?" she questioned.

Kira unwillingly nodded his head. "Yeah… Yeah…" He slumped down and spun on his heels. "You have to pay me back big time, Cagalli." He walked off a few steps before turning his head at Shinn.

"What is it, Kira-san?" Shinn asked.

"Take care of her, understand?" Kira muttered in a serious tone, scaring Shinn a bit. He made his way back to the mansion where he had a favor to fulfill and that was to stall Athrun as long as he could.

"Athha, what did he mean by that?" Shinn turned to Cagalli who was glaring furiously at him. "Umm…? What's wrong?" he squeaked.

"Stop calling me Athha, got it? I have a name and it's Cagalli!" She pointed a finger at him. "You better remember that!" she demanded.

"Right… Okay, Athha… I mean, Cagalli…" he chuckled, feeling amazed of her spunk and attitude. By that, he realized that he and Cagalli were somewhat alike in terms of personality.

Cagalli looked around if there were other people around the garden. To her relief, nobody was there but them. She thought it was the perfect chance for them to go. Swiftly, she grabbed Shinn's wrist and dragged him all the way to the back gate. There, she saw Shinn's motorcycle parked along the street. She pushed Shinn towards the said vehicle and smirked at him.

"Wait a second!" Shinn scratched his head, looking confused. "Are you planning on going on a ride?"

"Duh! Isn't that obvious?" She tapped her foot impatiently on the hard concrete.

"Oh…okay…" Shinn put on his helmet and boarded his motorcycle. "Where do you wanna go?"

Cagalli lowered her head as her amber eyes grew soft. "To my father's memorial…" she said in a low voice.

At that, Shinn's ruby orbs grew wide as marbles. "Lord Uzumi's memorial…" He bit his lip, feeling hesitant, as he found neither the courage nor guts to face the Lion of ORB. After all the insults he laid down on the Athhas, he knew it was inappropriate to even set foot near the memorial. "Cagalli, why don't we go to the beach instead? It's pretty cool there."

But the princess shook her head. She put her hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at her. As her amber orbs met his ruby ones, she slowly leaned forward and kissed his temple.

"C-Cagalli…" His cheeks turned red as a tomato. He felt his knees weakening from all the heat that was going up to his head.

She pulled herself back and drowned herself in his eyes. She showed him a warm and cheerful smile, which reminded him so much of sister's smile. "Shinn, you don't have to be ashamed. My father was a kind man. I'm sure he understood your feelings."

"But I still insulted him, even though it wasn't his fault."

"Shinn, I'm sure that father had forgiven you long before I met you."

He felt his heart skipped a beat when she said that. He sighed in relief and positioned himself on his motorcycle. "Hop on, Cagalli."

Cagalli smiled widely and nodded her head. She picked up the extra helmet, put in on, and rode the vehicle. "You better get there fast, Shinn, or else," she threatened him.

"Sheesh! What a bossy princess!" Shinn shrugged as he switched the engine on. Before he was going to speak, Cagalli hit him hard on the arm. "Ouch! What was that for?" He rubbed his sore arm as he turned to her grumpily.

"Don't you ever call me a princess, got it?!" she uttered, staring at him like she wanted to kill him.

Shinn shivered in fear at the sight of the fuming princess. He quickly averted his eyes away and prepared to take off. "Better hold on!" he shouted in panic and zoomed off in top speed.

It took them only about 7 minutes to get to the memorial. And it was all because of Cagalli's bickering on Shinn. For the first time in his life, he could not argue back. He did not think that Cagalli was so much like him. He guessed that he finally met his match.

Well, upon reaching the memorial, Shinn noticed that Cagalli became silent. He glanced at her only to see her standing in front of the memorial. He motioned himself to her side and saw her face, which was very solemn.

"Did you know? He was not my real father," she spoke to him so openly. She felt like talking about her father and her secret that she kept, which only a few knew.

Shinn gasped in surprise. "Lord Uzumi was not your father. Then who…?"

"Despite that fact, I still think of him as my real father because he was the one who raised me."

"I'm sure Lord Uzumi loved you very much."

She clutched onto the bracelet that he gave her and started crying. "You know, I wish father was still here. I want him to see my accomplishments. I want to know if I made him proud."

Shinn embraced her in his arms to comfort her. "Cagalli, you're a great leader. You're well-admired by the people of ORB. Don't you think that's enough to make Lord Uzumi proud?"

Cagalli continued to sob, but she managed to make a smile. "You're right, Shinn. I'm sure that he's proud of me."

"Of course!" He gently pushed her back to face her amber orbs. "You are his daughter after all." He showed her a well-toothed smile.

"Thanks, Shinn. I'm glad we're friends."

"Yeah…Friends…" Shinn's face saddened at that fact. He knew that they could be nothing more than friends. He thought of accepting that, but his heart was having a hard time doing so.

Since they were out for already 30 minutes, Cagalli thought of going back to the mansion before Athrun finds out. She told Shinn to hurry as she walked towards the motorcycle, which was across the road. As she reached the middle or the road, a truck appeared all of the sudden and it was about to hit Cagalli. "Not again…" she muttered, closing her eyes.

Shinn ran with all his might and jumped towards her. He grabbed Cagalli and landed roughly on the other side. Since it was safe, Shinn positioned Cagalli in front of him and glared at her. "This is the 2nd time. You've gotta watch your back more cafefully!" he scolded her with a hint of concern in his tone.

Strangely, because of Shinn's daring rescue, Cagalli did not feel scared or nervous unlike last time. "Thanks again, Shinn, and sorry about that." She leaned forward and pecked his cheek.

Shinn flushed red again and backed away until his back hit his motorcycle. "You didn't have to do that?"

"Why not? It was my way of showing thanks."

"A simple thanks is fine!" He held the spot where she kissed her and grew redder.

Cagalli laughed out loud. "That expression is purely cute!" She pointed her finger at him as she kept laughing. "Shinn, you're one fun guy. I didn't think I would have this much fun. Thanks a lot."

"Well that's…err…" He scratched the back of his head. "You're welcome," he politely said.

"This is a birthday I will never forget." She looked up at the starry sky and smiled. "Because most of my wishes came true."

_The end_

* * *

JC: I've finally finished. I really put a lot of effort into thinking of what scene or moment to put here. I was thinking of going with Kira/Cagalli, but I felt that it would nice to write about Shinn/Cagalli for a change. I hope this story was okay. Please leave a review and not a flame. Thanks for reading! 


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